MobileMe Subscribers - Warning About Possible Phishing Scam
Fellow MobileMe subscribers, I've encountered a possible phishing scam and reported it to Apple.
I was sent an e-mail to my MobileMe e-mail account this afternoon from "no_reply_no.@apple.com";, with a headline that read "IMPORTANT: Billing Problem 11th Aug 2008."
The e-mail looks like an Apple-created HTML-formatted e-mail with a MobileMe advertisement. It reads "Welcome. Start enjoying MobileMe anywhere - and everywhere." I believe that this was, at one point a genuine Apple e-mail sent out to advertise the new MobileMe service. However, below the HTML-formatted MobileMe e-mail was a notice that read:
"We were unable to process your most recent payment. Did you recently change your bank, phone number, or credit card?
To ensure that your service is not interrupted, please update your billing information today 11th Aug by clicking here. After a few clicks, just verify the information you entered is correct."
When you click on the link, it takes you to a billing webpage that looks EXACTLY like Apple.com, with working web links, the navigation bar at the top of the page, everything. However, it does not ask you to verify your e-mail or password when you navigate to this web page, and - if you look at the URL - it's on a German website.
I was immediately suspicious because, A) my MobileMe subscription does not require payment for a number of months yet, so there shouldn't have been a billing problem today,
this website did not ask me to verify my e-mail or password, and C) the URL is a German website, and is not an official "Apple.com" site.
Regardless, it's a very clever phishing scam, with a genuine-looking e-mail, from an "apple.com" e-mail address, and the website is an exact recreation of "Apple.com." DO NOT FALL FOR IT!
I have already contacted Apple representatives, and they are aware of the scam and were very grateful for my help. But, in case any other folks out there are MobileMe subscribers who have received this e-mail, I wanted to send out a warning to the Mac community. Do not fall for this scam. If you receive ANY e-mail from "no_reply_no.@apple.com";, do not follow its directions. Also, as a general rule, be very cautious about giving out your credit card information on the internet - period.
Personally, I hate these internet crimes and I hope they catch whoever did this. Apple tells me that they will block all e-mails from the sender's e-mail address from all MobileMe subscribers, so hopefully no one should have to deal with this. Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know and be aware that there are people trying to exploit MobileMe subscribers.
Take care, and best of luck, everyone!
I was sent an e-mail to my MobileMe e-mail account this afternoon from "no_reply_no.@apple.com";, with a headline that read "IMPORTANT: Billing Problem 11th Aug 2008."
The e-mail looks like an Apple-created HTML-formatted e-mail with a MobileMe advertisement. It reads "Welcome. Start enjoying MobileMe anywhere - and everywhere." I believe that this was, at one point a genuine Apple e-mail sent out to advertise the new MobileMe service. However, below the HTML-formatted MobileMe e-mail was a notice that read:
"We were unable to process your most recent payment. Did you recently change your bank, phone number, or credit card?
To ensure that your service is not interrupted, please update your billing information today 11th Aug by clicking here. After a few clicks, just verify the information you entered is correct."
When you click on the link, it takes you to a billing webpage that looks EXACTLY like Apple.com, with working web links, the navigation bar at the top of the page, everything. However, it does not ask you to verify your e-mail or password when you navigate to this web page, and - if you look at the URL - it's on a German website.
I was immediately suspicious because, A) my MobileMe subscription does not require payment for a number of months yet, so there shouldn't have been a billing problem today,
this website did not ask me to verify my e-mail or password, and C) the URL is a German website, and is not an official "Apple.com" site.Regardless, it's a very clever phishing scam, with a genuine-looking e-mail, from an "apple.com" e-mail address, and the website is an exact recreation of "Apple.com." DO NOT FALL FOR IT!
I have already contacted Apple representatives, and they are aware of the scam and were very grateful for my help. But, in case any other folks out there are MobileMe subscribers who have received this e-mail, I wanted to send out a warning to the Mac community. Do not fall for this scam. If you receive ANY e-mail from "no_reply_no.@apple.com";, do not follow its directions. Also, as a general rule, be very cautious about giving out your credit card information on the internet - period.
Personally, I hate these internet crimes and I hope they catch whoever did this. Apple tells me that they will block all e-mails from the sender's e-mail address from all MobileMe subscribers, so hopefully no one should have to deal with this. Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know and be aware that there are people trying to exploit MobileMe subscribers.
Take care, and best of luck, everyone!